Canarc Resource Corp. (TSX: CCM, OTC-BB: CRCUF, Frankfurt: CAN) announces it has received excellent metallurgical test results, with gold recoveries up to 96%, using bio-oxidation (“BIOX”) treatment on flotation concentrate from its New Polaris gold mine property located in British Columbia, Canada. These excellent test results confirm that New Polaris concentrate is amenable to the BIOX process. Bio-oxidation testing of New Polaris concentrates dramatically increased the cyanide-recoverable gold from 8% for un-oxidized concentrate up to 96% on bio-oxidized material.
Scott Eldridge, Canarc’s CEO, stated: “Canarc is very happy to see such high gold recoveries from New Polaris concentrate using the BIOX process to bio-oxidize the refractory sulfides carrying the gold so that it can be recovered by conventional cyanide leaching. Using the BIOX process at New Polaris to produce dore bars at site is a potential game-changer for the project because it should obviate the need for road or barge access to ship the concentrates. BIOX could have a very positive impact on both the logistics and the economics of the New Polaris gold mine project.”
Gold Dissolution Versus Sulphide Oxidation
The BIOX bacterial oxidation process is currently used commercially to treat refractory gold deposits at ten gold mines on four continents, including the Fosterville mine of Kirkland Gold located in Victoria province of Australia. It has facilitated the production of more than 24 million ounces of gold over the last 25 years. Canarc’s metallurgical test program was conducted at the SGS Africa lab, located in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the supervision of Outotec RSA, owners of the BIOX technology.
The BIOX process has many advantages over other processes such as pressure oxidation and roasting for treating refractory gold ores. These include improved gold recoveries, significantly lower capital and operating costs, and being more environmentally friendly. BIOX is a robust commercial technology that is better suited for remote locations, it is simple to operate and is backed by 25 years of operating experience.
The current NI 43-101 indicated resources on the New Polaris project total 519,000 ounces contained in 1,288,000 tonnes grading 12.54 g/t gold and inferred resources of 636,000 ounces contained in 1,794,564 tonnes grading 12.2 g/t gold.
Canarc plans to undertake a new Preliminary Economic Assessment of the New Polaris project during the first quarter of 2019 incorporating the economic benefits of the BIOX process.
Qualified Person
Garry Biles, P.Eng, President & COO for Canarc Resource Corp, is the Qualified Person who reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.
“Scott Eldridge”